D&D 5E was the giant book any good?

[Micah Sweet]

What I was thinking was D&D could have some rules, really simple ones, where, if you were actually able to climb or hang-on-to a larger creature, or otherwise attack something more vulnerable than its feet (flying, using ranged weapons, etc.), you should probably do extra damage (whilst potentially being hard to attack yourself) - or maybe it should resist damage unless you do, whatever feels best gameplay-wise. And like, some weapons - big ones - should be "anti-large" and do like, double-base-weapon-dice against size L or above creatures (or maybe size H and above), which 1E/2E sorta kinda sorta did but not in a very well-conceived way.

Very much these rules would need to KISS but like, I think it would have been doable at the start of 5E.

Level Up has such rules. Really, it's no wonder I jumped ship as soon as a crunchier 5e was available. A5e fixes almost every issue I have with 5e.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I’m about halfway through and mostly enjoying it. Lots of stuff about giant culture which is my jam, not as much stuff that can be directly used as a player.

 

[dave2008]

What I was thinking was D&D could have some rules, really simple ones, where, if you were actually able to climb or hang-on-to a larger creature, or otherwise attack something more vulnerable than its feet (flying, using ranged weapons, etc.), you should probably do extra damage (whilst potentially being hard to attack yourself) - or maybe it should resist damage unless you do, whatever feels best gameplay-wise. And like, some weapons - big ones - should be "anti-large" and do like, double-base-weapon-dice against size L or above creatures (or maybe size H and above), which 1E/2E sorta kinda sorta did but not in a very well-conceived way.

Very much these rules would need to KISS but like, I think it would have been doable at the start of 5E.

That seems like something that could be done fairly easily in most versions of D&D (and probably RPGs in general).

 

[dave2008]

Level Up has such rules. Really, it's no wonder I jumped ship as soon as a crunchier 5e was available. A5e fixes almost every issue I have with 5e.

What rules are those, I don't remember them. Though I haven't looked at my A5e books in years.

 

[dave2008]

I'm pretty sure you can, actually. Some adherence to reality is better than none.

Sure you can always complain, but it just isn't a very good argument. Just like saying it has no adherence to reality is not a good argument too. It is, and will continue to be, a personal preference on how much a game should "adhere" to reality. Also, what is "reality" is a personal preference as well.

 

[Micah Sweet]

What rules are those, I don't remember them. Though I haven't looked at my A5e books in years.

Don't have them on me, but climbing large creatures is a basic combat maneuver anyone can potentially do.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Sure you can always complain, but it just isn't a very good argument. Just like saying it has no adherence to reality is not a good argument too. It is, and will continue to be, a personal preference on how much a game should "adhere" to reality. Also, what is "reality" is a personal preference as well.

Sure, but at least their complaint is no better than mine.

 

[dave2008]

Don't have them on me, but climbing large creatures is a basic combat maneuver anyone can potentially do.

OK, I thought you were talking about giant (size not type) slaying weapons and vulnerabilities and resistances based on size. Climbing on another creature was least interesting, IMO, of what I thought @Ruin Explorer was talking about. I mean even the 2014 DMG has guidelines for climbing on another creature and I personally have never felt like I needed anything other than the standard ability/skill check system myself for such activities.

Though, now I think about our (my groups) standard houserules for HP, BHP, & AC cover the basics of size difference pretty well actually.

 

[Micah Sweet]

OK, I thought you were talking about giant (size not type) slaying weapons and vulnerabilities and resistances based on size. Climbing on another creature was least interesting, IMO, of what I thought @Ruin Explorer was talking about. I mean even the 2014 DMG has guidelines for climbing on another creature and I personally have never felt like I needed anything other than the standard ability/skill check system myself for such activities.

Though, now I think about our (my groups) standard houserules for HP, BHP, & AC cover the basics of size difference pretty well actually.

I am certainly down for more interesting and detailed rules in this (and all other) areas.

 

[dave2008]

I am certainly down for more interesting and detailed rules in this (and all other) areas.

We are not big into detailed rules ourselves (one reason we skipped A5e), but we felt hitting and damage needed some more clarity while also maintaining the ease of use of the abstract approach. It was just that I realized by giving something meat points (bhp for us) it makes larger creatures more significant and the need for specialized tactics more important as a side effect too.